Rare red sand boa snake rescued from Puri

Puri: A Red Sand Boa, a rare species of snake, was rescued from an under-construction hotel in Odisha’s Puri town on Thursday.

The workers spotted the rare snake at the under-construction hotel on City Road in the town and informed the officials. On being informed, members of the Snake Helpline went to the spot and rescued the snake.

On measuring, the snake was found to be 2 and a half feet in length and weighed around 750 gram. Later, the Snake Helpline members handed over the slither to the authorities of Nandankanan Zoo near Bhubaneswar.

The Red Sand Boa, known as the Indian Sand Boa, is a non-venomous species found on the banks of rivers, ponds and sandy places. It is a primarily reddish-brown and thick-set snake that grows to an average length of 75 cm. It feeds on rodents, lizards, and even other snakes.

Unlike most snakes, its tail is almost as thick as the body and gives the reptile the appearance of being double-headed. It is easily recognised from its shovel-shaped nose and a blunt tail which appears to be chopped off.